A hazzan[χaˈzan] or chazzan (Hebrew: חַזָּן‎ ħazzān, YiddishkhaznLadinohassan) is a Jewish musician, or precentor, trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.[1] In English, this prayer-leader is often referred to as cantor.

The person leading the congregation in public prayers is called the shaliach tzibbur (Hebrew for "emissary of the congregation"), a ħazzān or cantor. Jewish law restricts the role to adult Jews.[2] See also: Cantor in Reform Judaism. In theory, any lay person can be a sheliach tzibbur; most synagogue-attending Jews will serve in this role every now and again. In practice, those with the best voice and the most knowledge of the prayers serve much more often. Ashkenazichazzanim (Hebrew plural of hazzan) are known to repeat words during prayer;[3][4] Yemenite sh'luchei tzibbur, on the other hand, will never repeat words.

There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources. Jewish prayer services are collected in a prayerbook known as the siddur.

The office of the hazzan increased in importance with the centuries. As public worship was developed in the Geonic period, and as the knowledge of the Hebrew language declined, singing gradually superseded the didactic and hortatory element in the worship in the synagogue.

Even in the oldest times the chief qualifications demanded of the hazzan, in addition to knowledge of Biblical and liturgical literature as well as the prayer motifs (known as "steiger"), were a pleasant voice and an artistic delivery; for the sake of these, many faults were willingly overlooked. The hazzan was required to possess a pleasing appearance, to be married, and to have a flowing beard. Sometimes, according to Isaac of Vienna (13th century), a young hazzan having only a slight growth of beard was tolerated. Maimonides decided that the hazzan who recited the prayers on an ordinary Sabbath and on week-days need not possess an appearance pleasing to everybody; he might even have a reputation not wholly spotless, provided he was living a life morally free from reproach at the time of his appointment.

But all these moderations of the rule disappeared on holidays; then an especially worthy hazzan was demanded, one whose life was absolutely irreproachable, who was generally popular, and who was endowed with an expressive delivery. Even a person who had once litigated in a non-Jewish court, instead of to a Jewish court, in a disputed question could not act as hazzan on those days, unless he had previously done penance.[5] However many authorities were lenient in this regard and as long as a cantor was "merutzeh l'kehal" desired by the congregation, he was permitted to lead the prayers even on the holiest of days.

Today, a hazzan, particularly in more formal (usually not Orthodox) synagogues, is likely to have academic credentials, most often a degree in music or in sacred music, sometimes a degree in music education or in Jewish religious education or a related discipline. The doctor of music degree is sometimes awarded to honour a hazzan.

Although traditionally a hazzan was always a man, today a woman can be a hazzan (also called a cantor) in all types of Judaism except for Orthodox Judaism.[2]Julie Rosewald, called “Cantor Soprano” by her congregation, was America’s first female cantor (though she was born in Germany), serving San Francisco’s Temple Emanu-El from 1884 until 1893, although she was not ordained. [6][7][8]Barbara Ostfeld-Horowitz became the first female cantor to be ordained in Reform Judaism in 1975,[9] and Erica Lippitz and Marla Rosenfeld Barugel became the first female cantors in Conservative Judaism in 1987.[9] The Cantors Assembly, a professional organization of cantors associated with Conservative Judaism, did not allow women to join until 1990.[10]Sharon Hordes became the first cantor (female or otherwise) in Reconstructionist Judaism in 2002.[11]Avitall Gerstetter, who lived in Germany, became the first female cantor in Jewish Renewal (and the first female cantor in Germany) in 2002. Susan Wehle became the first American female cantor in Jewish Renewal in 2006;[12] however she died in 2009.[13] The first American women to be ordained as cantors in Jewish Renewal after Susan Wehle's ordination were Michal Rubin and Abbe Lyons, both ordained on January 10, 2010.[14] In 2001 Deborah Davis became the first cantor (female or otherwise) in Humanistic Judaism; however, Humanistic Judaism has since stopped graduating cantors.[15]

The role of hazzanim as a respected full-time profession has become a reality in recent centuries. In the last two centuries Jews in a number of European communities, notably Germany and Britain, came to view professionally trained hazzanim as clergy and the hazzan as the deputy rabbi. After the enlightenment, when European nations gave full citizenship and civil rights to Jews, professionally trained hazzanim were accepted by the secular governments as clergy in the same way that rabbis were accepted as clergy.

In an interesting turn of events, the United States government recognized cantors as the first Jewish clergy, even before rabbis were recognized—as a congregation could be organized and led by a committee of Jewish "laymen", who would not have the expertise in liturgy a hazzan would have, newly forming congregations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries sometimes hired a hazzan for a synagogue (and made sure that a kosher butcher was established in the neighborhood) for some time before setting about hiring a rabbi, seeing the hazzan (and the butcher) as a more immediate need. The hazzan therefore solemnized marriages and otherwise represented the congregation in the eyes of civil authorities.

In the United States, many hazzanim supplement their ministry by also earning certification as and working as mohels, for bris ceremonies.

In the United States there are three major organizations for professionally trained hazzanim, one from each of the major Jewish denominations.

^To Accompany A Chazzan: Choirs and Soloists - Past and Present, Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, Hamodia Inyan, September 23, 2014 (vol. xvii no. 828), p. 16-17: As an adult of 21, Reb Naftali Blaivas was the baal tefillah in a shul for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Two years later, he began a forty-two-year stint as the baal tefillah for the Yamim Noraim in the shul of Rabbi Mordechai Teitz, z"l, Chief Rabbi of Elizabeth, New Jersey. "I was not a chazzan. My style was chazzanishe baal tefillah. Tefillah was paramount for Rav Teitz, not music. I remember him telling me firmly at the beginning, 'M'zogt nisht iber ken verter' [Don't repeat words]."